Starbucks.
Returning to her gallery after her Starbucks field trip, Serena had decided to let Audrey know about her encounter with the mystery man. When Audrey’s phone had gone unanswered, Serena had decided to tell her in person. She also had another reason for doing so. She had hoped to see McHot again.
And so here she was.
Serena flashed a glance towards Sam, who was now leaning against a wall, watching her steadily. She looked away, and shifted slightly to face Audrey, then careful to avoid looking directly at her; she began by telling them about the man who had followed her.
“When I entered the Starbucks, he was waiting in line. But when he saw me, he got out of line and hurried outside, pushing past a group of people. I tried to follow him, but he……”. Before she could finish, Sam’s angry voice interrupted her.
“You did what? You approached a man following you? Did you not think of the danger? Serena, what were thinking? Do you have a death wish, woman?”
Serena shrank back in her chair. Sam had pushed away from the wall and now stood towering over her and glaring at her, his fists clenched at his sides as if he was trying to control himself from pulling her out of her chair and shaking her.
“Sam, you’re scaring her,” Serena heard Audrey say, noticing from her peripheral view that Audrey was also pulling her partner’s arm, to make him step away.
But Serena wasn’t scared; she had just been taken aback by the suddenness of McHot’s explosion and she looked at him now wonderingly. What had set him off? Was that fear she had seen on his face? Fear for her?
She smiled without thought; thinking his handsomeness quotient had risen significantly in his current agitated state.
“Serena, are you alright?” She heard Audrey ask and turned to look at her, seeing her surprise at the smile on Serena’s lips.
“I’m fine and I’m not scared of this big bully,” she said defiantly, pointing her chin towards Sam; watching in satisfaction as Sam’s eyes widened.
Then, her gaze still on Sam, she continued, “I know I shouldn’t have followed him, I just didn’t know what to do. I was afraid he’d come into my gallery, and I knew if I saw him, I could ……..” her voice trailed off abruptly as she tried suddenly realized that she was about to say, “hear his thoughts.”
But, she admitted to herself; it had been foolish of her to follow the man.
Sam didn’t give an inch, and said to her in a frosty tone, “I’m glad you realize what a stupid move that was, Ms. Shaw”, and Serena’s hackles rose at his biting tone. And why the hell was he calling her Ms. Shaw now?
Well, that is my name, isn’t it?
“Have you seen that man before, Serena?” she heard Audrey ask, interrupting their silent feuding; then Serena saw her turn to her partner and say in a loud whisper, “Sit down and shut up Sam, or get out and take a walk to cool yourself.”
Serena grinned at Audrey thinking she wanted to be just like her when she grew up. She watched as Sam took the first option presented by his partner, but his gaze never left her face.
“No, I’ve never laid eyes on him before today. And it’s ok. Mc…err”, she was going to say McHot but corrected herself in time. “Special Agent Raina is right; it was a stupid thing to do. I just thought it might be connected to Sofia, or to those people who were following you the other day.”
“And you thought following him would do what again?” Sam asked, his words polite, but his tone still hard.
Get me in touch with you?
Serena fought a wicked grin as she returned his gaze, wondering why she was enjoying his anger so much.
Maybe cause I like the effect I have on him? Although; I don’t know about me having any effect on him. I think the big lug is just too used to women falling all over him. And he thinks he can bully me too, just cause I’m
Returning to her gallery after her Starbucks field trip, Serena had decided to let Audrey know about her encounter with the mystery man. When Audrey’s phone had gone unanswered, Serena had decided to tell her in person. She also had another reason for doing so. She had hoped to see McHot again.
And so here she was.
Serena flashed a glance towards Sam, who was now leaning against a wall, watching her steadily. She looked away, and shifted slightly to face Audrey, then careful to avoid looking directly at her; she began by telling them about the man who had followed her.
“When I entered the Starbucks, he was waiting in line. But when he saw me, he got out of line and hurried outside, pushing past a group of people. I tried to follow him, but he……”. Before she could finish, Sam’s angry voice interrupted her.
“You did what? You approached a man following you? Did you not think of the danger? Serena, what were thinking? Do you have a death wish, woman?”
Serena shrank back in her chair. Sam had pushed away from the wall and now stood towering over her and glaring at her, his fists clenched at his sides as if he was trying to control himself from pulling her out of her chair and shaking her.
“Sam, you’re scaring her,” Serena heard Audrey say, noticing from her peripheral view that Audrey was also pulling her partner’s arm, to make him step away.
But Serena wasn’t scared; she had just been taken aback by the suddenness of McHot’s explosion and she looked at him now wonderingly. What had set him off? Was that fear she had seen on his face? Fear for her?
She smiled without thought; thinking his handsomeness quotient had risen significantly in his current agitated state.
“Serena, are you alright?” She heard Audrey ask and turned to look at her, seeing her surprise at the smile on Serena’s lips.
“I’m fine and I’m not scared of this big bully,” she said defiantly, pointing her chin towards Sam; watching in satisfaction as Sam’s eyes widened.
Then, her gaze still on Sam, she continued, “I know I shouldn’t have followed him, I just didn’t know what to do. I was afraid he’d come into my gallery, and I knew if I saw him, I could ……..” her voice trailed off abruptly as she tried suddenly realized that she was about to say, “hear his thoughts.”
But, she admitted to herself; it had been foolish of her to follow the man.
Sam didn’t give an inch, and said to her in a frosty tone, “I’m glad you realize what a stupid move that was, Ms. Shaw”, and Serena’s hackles rose at his biting tone. And why the hell was he calling her Ms. Shaw now?
Well, that is my name, isn’t it?
“Have you seen that man before, Serena?” she heard Audrey ask, interrupting their silent feuding; then Serena saw her turn to her partner and say in a loud whisper, “Sit down and shut up Sam, or get out and take a walk to cool yourself.”
Serena grinned at Audrey thinking she wanted to be just like her when she grew up. She watched as Sam took the first option presented by his partner, but his gaze never left her face.
“No, I’ve never laid eyes on him before today. And it’s ok. Mc…err”, she was going to say McHot but corrected herself in time. “Special Agent Raina is right; it was a stupid thing to do. I just thought it might be connected to Sofia, or to those people who were following you the other day.”
“And you thought following him would do what again?” Sam asked, his words polite, but his tone still hard.
Get me in touch with you?
Serena fought a wicked grin as she returned his gaze, wondering why she was enjoying his anger so much.
Maybe cause I like the effect I have on him? Although; I don’t know about me having any effect on him. I think the big lug is just too used to women falling all over him. And he thinks he can bully me too, just cause I’m
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